Eternal Flame
by Dream-Silver-Haze
Summary: 2 of 7. This time it's Dart's turn to tell his experiences after the final battle. As a leader he feels personally responsible for the death of his father and comrade. But forgiveness can come from unexpected places.


I know Dart isn't the Red-Eyed Dragoon anymore but he'll always be an eternal flame to me. Disclaimer: I don't own the Characters or Places of LoD.

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Eternal Flame

They were there and then they were gone and so was the cursed demon. Just like that I lost my father again and Rose both at once. I suppressed a shutter squeezing Shana a little closer.

We were closing in on Deningrad and I was barely hanging on to my Dragoon form. I was exhausted. I had never fought harder in my life, not verses the Divine Dragon or even our accidental encounter with Faust, but my exhaustion stemmed from more than just the fight. The last minutes of my Father and Rose's lives were playing over and over in my mind and I was struggling to concentrate. Only my fear of dropping Shana kept my focus.

"Deningrad," Haschel called out pointing ahead of us.

No one replied perhaps we were all to tired.

There was a rather large crowd, larger than I had expected, waiting to meet us, their heroes. I didn't have the energy to deal with my feelings, with the haunting images ensnaring my mind I needed to be the leader that I was expected to be. I pushed those thoughts from my mind as I touched down gently placing Shana on the ground before allowing my body to return to its normal form.

My hands fell to my knees as I gasped for breath. I had stayed in my Dragoon form for a long time, nearly too long.

"Dart?! Are you alright?" Shana asked placing her hand lightly on my shoulder.

I looked up into her worried eyes. Tears were brimming in her eyes. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her. "I'm fine," I whispered holding her close.

As she put her arms around me and sighed I felt her tears spill over onto my own skin. _Shana how could I have ever believed I didn't love you this way? _I thought to myself. Before she told me that she loved me these thoughts had never crossed my mind. She opened a door that day in Fletz. That night I had kissed her and promised that I would not leave her again, but I still wasn't sure if I felt the same love that she felt. I had always knew I loved her I just did not know how, but to have her taken from me… to know she was in mortal danger… it opened my eyes.

I pulled her closer squeezing her tightly as if she was about slip out of my grasp. "Dart," she whispered pulling away slightly. I saw love reflecting in her eyes. She rose up and kissed me softly. Just a quick brush of lips and then she was standing by my side her fingers entangled in mine looking up to the top of the stairs.

My eyes moved to where she was staring. "Meru!?" I gasped.

"Looks like Meru didn't want to be out done in the romance department," Shana replied with a soft chuckle.

"I guess," I said watching in disbelief as Meru kissed Guaraha passionately from her perch in his arms.

When the kiss was finished a very bewildered Guaraha flew upward with Meru still in his arms.

"We have to tell my parents and the others in the forest that we are safe! I'll be back soon," Meru called down to us.

I nodded as Guaraha whisked her away toward the Wingly Forest.

"Please come inside and rest heroes. You must be terribly exhausted," Queen Theresea suggested from the top of the palace stairs. I noticed Miranda was by her side with her face red from tears.

I looked at Shana once more and she smiled, then I led her up the stairs and the rest of our comrades followed us inside.

In the days that followed the word 'heroes' was thrown around often and audibly but it only made me want to cringe. I did not feel like a hero, I had been unable to save either my Father or Rose.

The week was filled with many parties and celebrations honoring all of us. Since the Crystal Palace was still being repaired much of the celebrations went on during the day in the town square. People from all over Mille Seseau came to honor their heroes. The Mayor of Furni along with Fa and Teo (and of course Kamuy by his side) came as well.

The Mayor spoke of the happenings of Furni while Fa and Teo once again thanked Shana for saving Kamuy. She patted Kamuy on the head and then bent down to hug both the children. Fa kissed her on the cheek and then the friends and their wolf pup ran off through the crowd off to find their own little adventure. Shana looked longingly after them.

"I best be off to make sure the children don't get into to much mischief," the mayor said with a slight bow as he followed after the children.

"You'll make a good mother, Shana," I said. She smiled at me and opened her mouth to reply when Miranda approached and she decided better of it.

"Shana would you mind coming with me? I need to tell you something," Miranda said.

She looked at me briefly and the answered, "Well yes Miranda but where are we going?"

"Not to far. I just need to speak with you alone."

I nodded and Miranda stalked off and Shana followed.

Suddenly I found myself alone in a crowd of people. I had deliberately spent all my time with Shana since we had returned to keep myself from the guilt-ridden thoughts and memories I was sure would come in her absence. And surely enough the moment she was gone my mind went to a dark place.

Once again the image of my Father and Rose flying toward their death over took my mind. Not wanting to face these horrors in the presences of a crowd I wandered toward the out skirts of town trying to rationalize with myself.

_It is not my fault they are gone._ I thought. _Then why do I feel this way?_

I walked out toward the forest thinking to take out my feelings on a stray monster, when I absent mindedly bumped into someone.

"Oh wow, uhh… sorry I wasn't watching where I was going… I wasn't expecting anyone to be out here," I mumbled looking up.

The man I bumped into looked horrified as if he had been caught in the act of something he shouldn't be doing. Then I noticed his platinum hair and archaic looking black tunic. _He looks familiar… _

The same look of recognition passed over his face as well. "You are… You are one of Meru's friends," he commented.

"You are one of the Bardel brothers," I replied finally placing him.

"Yes and I'm looking for Meru. Do you know where she is?"

"If you are looking to avenge your sister pick your fight wisely," I threatened.

"I am not looking for a fight," he said rather softly. "I am looking for Meru to let her know I forgive her for what happened to my sister. I understand now, it was not all Meru's fault nor even that of all humans only the ones who… who did it. I want her to know that I do not blame her," he finished.

I stared at him for a long moment. I never expected that the Bardels could forgive Meru for what had happened to their sister. This unexpected revelation on the elder Bardel's part made me understand something about the nature of my own guilt.

"She's in the town square with the others," I told him pointing in the right direction.

"Thank you," he replied sternly and then flew off toward the square.

_Father, Rose, you would forgive me wouldn't you?_ I asked in my head. I already knew the answer. _Then all that's left is to forgive myself._

I took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out. "I forgive myself. Your death was not my fault," I said to the empty forest. Then I turned and head back to Deningrad, back to Shana and my friends, and back toward our future.

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Well I hope you liked it. I tried to keep Dart in character, hope I did good. Although these one shots are all related I am not putting them in chapters because they are each their own story. Anyways hope you liked it. More to come soon.

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